Hong Kong customs officers baffled to find $10M in gold disguised as air compressor parts

Hong Kong Customs found gold pieces hidden inside two air compressors bound for Tokyo

Customs officers at Hong Kong International Airport made a startling discovery when they found more than $10 million worth of gold being smuggled out. The gold was cleverly concealed as parts for two air compressors, according to the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED).

The alert was raised when the air compressors raised suspicion during an X-ray scan, prompting further inspection. Assistant Superintendent Ho Tin-hong explained that upon closer examination, the machines seemed nonsensical, with their rotors secured with tape and traces of glue visible.

Several parts of the machines were glued and taped together, with officers finding they were actually valuable gold spray painted to look like machine parts.

A careful tap with a hammer revealed the fragile nature of the metal, and scraping off the paint uncovered a gold-colored surface. Upon dismantling the machines, officers uncovered major components made entirely of gold, totaling more than 321 pounds.

The shipment, headed to Japan on March 27, was suspected of being molded and camouflaged to evade a 10% import tariff, potentially saving the perpetrator over $1 million. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of a 31-year-old individual linked to the smuggling attempt.

The bust occurred at the Hong Kong International Airport on March 27.

C&ED Acting Senior Superintendent Jason Lau Yuk-lung highlighted that the suspect was associated with a shell company without legitimate business activities. In Hong Kong, attempting to export misrepresented cargo carries severe penalties, including up to seven years of imprisonment and hefty fines exceeding $255,000, as per customs regulations.